The field of the invention relates to optical methods used for the screening and diagnosis of tissue abnormalities. In particular, the invention relates to the use of fluorescent spectroscopy to detect cancerous and precancerous tissues of the cervix.
Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide, exceeded only by breast cancer and in the United States, it is the third most common neoplasm of the female genital tract--15,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer and 55,000 cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) were reported in the U.S. in 1994. In 1994, an estimated 4,600 deaths occurred in the United States alone from cervical cancer. However, in recent years, the incidence of pre-invasive squamous carcinoma of the cervix has risen dramatically, especially among young women. Women under the age of 35 years account for up to 24.5% of patients with invasive cervical cancer, and the incidence is continuing to increase for women in this age group. It has been estimated that the mortality of cervical cancer may rise by 20% in the next decade unless further improvements are made in detection techniques.
The mortality associated with cervical cancer can be reduced if this disease is detected at the early stages of development or at the pre-cancerous state (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)). A Pap smear is used to screen for CIN and cervical cancer in the general female population. This technique has a false-negative error rate of 15-40%. Am abnormal Pap smear is followed by colposcopic examination, biopsy and histologic confirmation of the clinical diagnosis. Colposcopy requires extensive training and its accuracy for diagnosis is variable and limited even in expert hands. A diagnostic method that could improve the performance of colposcopy in the hands of less experienced practitioners, eliminate the need for multiple biopsies and allow more effective wide scale diagnosis could potentially reduce the mortality associated with cervical cancer.
Recently, fluorescence, infrared absorption and Raman spectroscopies have been proposed for cancer and precancer diagnosis. Many groups have successfully demonstrated their use in various organ systems. Auto- and dye-induced fluorescence have shown promise in recognizing atherosclerosis and various types of cancers and precancers. Many groups have demonstrated that autofluorescence may be used for differentiation of normal and abnormal tissues in the human breast and lung, bronchus and gastrointestinal tract. Fluorescence spectroscopic techniques have also been investigated for improved detection of cervical dysplasia.
Despite these advances, there remains a need for diagnostic methods with improved accuracy and ease of application that also provide more rapid results. Such methods will permit earlier diagnosis, more effective patient management and, potentially, reduce mortality.